You
by SadBrokenWings
Summary: Kurama finds himself quite interested in the new girl at school. But could there be more to her than what she’s letting on?


DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha or Yu Yu Hakusho

A/N: Hello All! I decided that I'd take a small break from the next chapter of "Save Me" and write a one-shot. I hope that you all enjoy it and don't hate me for not working on my other stories!

_**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**_

_Summary: _Kurama finds himself quite interested in the new girl at school. But could there be more to her than what she's letting on?

_**oOo**_

It was her eyes, they believed, that had first captivated them.

Beautiful, swirling masses of cerulean and sapphire that would darken when her emotions were high. He had noticed that on her first day of school, when she had rushed into the classroom ten minutes late, embarrassed about running right into the teacher and knocking off his glasses. She was quite a sight to behold, a seductively innocent air about her that had every guy in the room gaping at her.

She hadn't noticed that she was being watched, however, because she was worriedly helping the teacher to his feet and retrieving his glasses, apologizing profusely. Her books lay on the floor, forgotten in the shock of taking down the teacher. Even as she was reassured by the teacher that everything was just fine her eyes welled up with tears. She cared so much about something so meager. Perhaps that was what had gotten their attention first.

The teacher assisted her in picking up her books before having her introduce herself to the class. And she nibbled on her lip. She was nervous and no one would have noticed unless they paid attention to her little habits. Kurama was set in his ways about that, from Youko's life, so that he could always tell someone's true intentions. Everyone watched her intently as she fidgeted at the front of the classroom before speaking.

"Hello everyone, I'm Higurashi Kagome." Her voice was soft and delicate, like a small wine glass that threatened to break in even the most skilled of hands. Hands like his.

"I'm sure that everybody is glad that you are here Higurashi-san; please take a seat anywhere available." The teacher said pleasantly, obviously taken with his new student though she had thrown him to the ground.

"Yes sir." She said softly, moving in the direction of the empty seat next to Kurama.

To his dismay, Kagome did not take the seat beside him but sat behind him. After a time, he found himself feeling like he was being studied, though he was used to being watched by his fan girls all the time this feeling was different. The fan girls stared at him like they wanted to eat him alive or jump his bones. But this feeling was new, like he was on an exam table and someone was poking around inside of him, analyzing him. It was odd and had woken up Youko, making Kurama groan mentally at being stuck with the pestering kitsune during school hours.

'_What's got your undies in a bunch Red?' _Youko questioned, purposely trying to get on Kurama's nerves.

'**You do.' **Kurama shot, almost glaring outwardly.

'_Of course I do, I wouldn't be me if I didn't. I'm talking about the other thing, that weird feeling that woke me up, what is it?'_

'**I don't know…'**

Kurama scanned the room and looked out all the windows for a sign that someone was watching him but found nothing. Nothing, that is, until he 'dropped' his pencil and let it roll backwards. When he twisted around in his seat to grab his pencil, his eyes locked with Kagome's and he knew. She had been watching him, no not watching him, _studying_ him. He found that extremely strange because most girls never looked at him like that. They wanted his body and never considered his mind but it seemed as though Kagome wanted to pick through all his thoughts. Unnerving.

How much time passed with them staring at each other, he didn't know. The spell was broken when she started to bend over to pick up his pencil and then he restarted. Their fingertips almost brushed as they both grabbed at the pencil, one held the eraser end while the other held the dull point. He gave a small tug and she released the pencil easily, though he continued to watch her.

"Minamino-san, Higurashi-san, would you be so kind as to join the rest of the class?" The teacher asked, an annoyed tone in his voice.

"My apologies." "Very sorry." They responded, Kurama turning back around in his seat and trying hard to focus on what the teacher was saying and not the beauty behind him.

That was how he spent the rest of his morning, being called away for a mission during lunch.

_**oOo**_

In the afternoon the following day he had spotted her at lunch, she was sitting alone at a table underneath one of the trees on the grounds. Well, she wasn't exactly alone because she was surrounded by guys that were from their class and some that weren't. She was smiling politely and nodding her head, listening to them speak and occasionally laughing. Despite the fact that she was new she seemed to be getting along well.

'_Who is she, this girl you are thinking of?' _Youko inquired, his curious nature kicking in.

'**She is a new student in our class by the name of Kagome and she seems to have developed quite a fan base already.'**

'_Really? Then she must be beautiful, I do believe I'll take a peek.'_

Youko forced himself forward and looked through Kurama's eyes, eyes running across the grounds until he spotted a table located underneath a tree that was flooded with boys, save for one girl. She was quite a sight, more _mature _than most other girls in their school and, where other girls had cut their hair short for the new fad, she had allowed hers to stay long.

Hair and hands, those were the things that he normally looked at on a woman, surprisingly enough, not certain parts of the anatomy. Her hair he approved of despite its slightly disheveled look, and her hands were beautiful. Thin with long fingers tipped with beautiful nails left unpainted. Oh, he knew that her hands could be their downfall should she ever touch them, that would be all it took, one touch.

And, almost as if she knew that he was watching her, Kagome's head shot up and she was looking straight at him, a slight smile and light in her eyes. She stood up at her table, looking away from him and addressing the boys around her. There was a collective groan from the guys as she gave an apologetic smile and wave as she walked away across the lawn.

Kurama regained control and watched as she walked past them, both nodding and smiling at each other before he turned to watch her walk to the girl's locker room. Just as she opened the door the bell rang and there was a sudden scramble to get to classes. He took off for the boy's locker room to change.

He and Youko spotted her again on the track, stretching as she prepared for the warm-up run before class officially began. He admired her body from a safe distance, her shorts and sweatshirt allowing him to see her long and shapely legs. As he stretched he watched her, smiling and chatting with anyone who struck up a conversation. He considered striking up a conversation with her himself.

As they did their laps on the track he ran behind her at first and then moved beside her, watching her profile and the swaying of her ponytail as she ran. There was a light sheen of sweat on her skin, but that was nothing compared to some of the other students who were lagging and sweating like pigs. The smell of them offended his delicate nose.

She turned her head toward him and gave him a small smile before saying, "Hello Minamino-san, how are you today?"

"I am just fine, and yourself Higurashi-san? Are you having any trouble finding your way around?" He responded politely.

She let out a giggle, "Oh, I've been getting around quite well with so many escorts!" She made a face and gestured behind them to the pack of guys jogging together practically drooling over her.

He gave a small chuckle in response, "I see, then you are not in need of my services?"

"It depends on what services you are offering Minamino-san." She said, lifting an eyebrow and giggling madly.

Both he and Youko were in shock from her comment; her seemingly innocent nature was now being overthrown by one perverse comment. But he made a quick recovery and Youko overcame him slightly as he teased back,

"What services are you interested in…Higurashi-san?" He waggled his eyebrows.

She giggled a little harder before calming down and slowing her pace down at the end of the final lap, placing her hands on the top of her head and walking around to cool down. He walked beside her and watched her breath even out and her cheeks calm from the flaming red to a healthy pink.

"Why, I didn't know that you were like that Minamino-san, I'm sure the other girls will be glad to hear such news!"

A mock horrified look played onto his face as she winked at him, laughing a little. He laughed along with her, enjoying her company and finding himself comfortable around her, as did Youko. They walked together to the racquetball courts and separated into different teams: boys with boys and girls with girls. Occasionally Kurama would feel eyes on him and would notice Kagome watching him play and when he caught her eyes she would look away and blush prettily.

'_Make her do it again!' _Youko demanded excitedly, liking the way she looked when she blushed.

Kurama was so busy watching her that he nearly missed the ball as it came over the net, so he turned his attention back to the game and looked over at Kagome every now and again.

_**oOo**_

They spent just about six months speaking with each other, mostly during track in gym class, when Kurama could actually get her alone. Occasionally he could steal her away at lunch and they would enjoy their meal together with few interruptions. But, as he walked into school one morning, he could not spot Kagome anywhere.

"Class, please be seated." The teacher requested in a commanding voice, "It has come to my attention that one your classmates have fallen ill. Higurashi-san has the flu and will not be coming in all week." He cleared his throat and said, "She has requested for no one to visit her out of concern for their health but, Mr. Minamino, would you be so kind as to deliver her assignments to her after class? I do not wish her to fall behind so I will write you an excuse to allow you to leave."

Kurama nodded absently, not exactly listening to the teacher because Youko was taking the spotlight in his mind.

'_I can't believe she is ill! Was she not in perfect health the other day?'_

'**Calm down, humans get sick all the time unexpectedly, it's very common.'**

'_Not her, we would have smelled it, the on-coming illness. I do not believe that she is sick, we will have to see it for ourselves.'_

'**We will, we are taking her assignments to her after class and then you can see if she is sick or not.'**

Youko was satisfied for the time being and Kurama watched the clock throughout the entire hour of class, tapping his nails impatiently on the desktop. As soon as the bell rang he hopped out of his seat and made his way to the front of the classroom. He graciously accepted the "get-out-of-class-free pass" from the teacher and Kagome's assignments and was off school grounds in a flash.

The address on the paper surprised him; he hadn't quite pegged Kagome as a shrine maiden. He hadn't _pegged _her at all. (wink wink)

'_What the…did you just think what I think you thought?'_

'**I am just as shocked as you Youko. I do believe you are rubbing off on me.'**

'_And we both want to **rub off** on Kagome.'_

Kurama shook his head in a shocked sort of amusement before starting up the huge flight of stairs. About one quarter of the way up the stairs he began to hear shouting and quickened his pace.

"_I was on my way dammit! Couldn't you have waited another minute?" _That was Kagome's voice he heard, and it was quite obvious that she wasn't sick.

'_Told ya so.' _Youko said smugly.

'**Shush.' **Kurama hushed Youko so that he could hear what was going on.

"_Well you weren't coming fast enough wench! Now get your ass over here and let's go!" _An unidentified male's voice yelled, presumably at Kagome which angered Kurama and Youko a little.

"_Osuwari!" _A thud was heard and that stopped Kurama in his tracks, with a curious expression on his face. _"Now you're not coming fast enough for me! Kami!"_

"_Stupid wench!" _That was the final shout and then all was silent.

Kurama climbed the rest of the stairs to be greeted with…nothing. Sweeping the landing of the stairs was a middle-aged woman with a sort of amused smile sitting on her lips and that was all. He and Youko were _certain _they heard shouting.

"Excuse me Miss…" Kurama said kindly, a polite smile on his face.

"Oh!" The woman looked up, a little shocked. "Hello there! I'm Miss Higurashi, is there anything I can help you with dear?"

The woman was very nice and Kurama's smile became more genuine as he spoke, "I am sorry to have frightened you, I am looking to deliver Higurashi-san's homework assignments, could you please tell me where I could find her?"

"I'm sorry dear, she's sick and bed-ridden and won't let anyone visit her. But I'll be sure to get them to her, thank you very much…" She gave him a quizzical look.

"Minamino Suiichi ma'am." He provided.

"Ahh...Minamino-san! My daughter speaks of you often! It is quite nice to meet you!"

'_So…she speaks of us to her mother, she must really like us!' _Youko said rather proudly.

'**Actually,' **Kurama said deviously, **'She speaks of ME to her mother, she does not know about you.'**

Youko was silent for a moment before saying, in a faux hurt manner, '_Bastard.'_

He talked with Kagome's mom for a few minutes, declining her offer to stay for tea, saying he had to get back to school. As he walked back he wondered about what he had heard. It was strange, that he cared so much about this one girl though he had only known her a short time. He decided that he would come back and check on her every day after school; he hoped that he could visit her once she was getting better.

'_You might, if she was ACTUALLY ILL!'_

'**Why would her mother lie?'**

'_I don't know but we clearly heard her arguing with some guy about leaving so she's at least healthy. Though it seems our little Kagome is keeping secrets…'_

'**And we're not? I mean, she doesn't know that there's a _we_.'**

'…'

They walked back to school and finished the day in silent thought.

_**oOo**_

After spending a week visiting the Higurashi shrine in hopes of seeing Kagome, all to know avail, and having plenty of time to think about their relationship with the young woman, Kurama had come to a decision that Youko wasn't too happy with. Alright, he was _pissed _with it.

Kurama decided to keep a friendly distance in his relationship with Kagome, much like any of his normal school friends. He wasn't quite happy with it either but there was nothing else he could do. She was human and Youko would probably scare the living daylights out of her, not to mention that his story of sharing a body with a demon wouldn't be so easily accepted.

He sighed as he took his seat in the classroom, not being able to help himself as he looked around the room for a sign that Kagome would be there today. Sadly she was not there yet again and both he and Youko felt an odd sense of loss. His morning was uneventful, though he got quite the surprise when he was strolling from the lunchroom to the boy's locker room. Kagome was walking slowly to the girl's locker room, backpack still on her shoulders.

Just as he was about to run after her and say…something, anything…Kurama thought better of it and decided to wait until after they all had changed. Today they were going to be swimming inside, doing a few laps in the pool and playing some water games. After he pulled on his trunks and a T-shirt and padded out to the pool with a towel over his shoulder, he sat on a bench and awaited Kagome.

She came out not long after he did, towel over her shoulder and hair pulled back. But something else grabbed his attention, something that caused his eyes to narrow. On her upper thigh she had a rather large bandage and then he realized that she was walking slower than usual. And she did not sit next to them as usual but sat alone on the edge of the long bench and began to unravel the bandage. Youko demanded that they find out what had happened to her and Kurama whole-heartedly agreed.

They approached her and crouched down in front of her, removing her hands from her bandages and finishing the unraveling process. Kagome looked away with a blush staining her cheeks and a sheepish and guilty look on her face.

"What has happened Higurashi-san? I thought that you were out with the flu, how did you become injured?" Though he spoke casually and softly there was steel behind his voice, almost a threatening tone.

'_Look at the size of that wound! She should not be on her feet!' _Youko noted, angry that she would put herself in danger of permanent damage by coming to school with such an injury.

'**We should escort her home.'** Kurama responded with conviction in his voice.

'_Yes. We should.' _Youko lent Kurama his demon strength and gave his consent.

He rewrapped her injury, ignoring her protests, and swiftly picked her up and left the pool area without a word spoken. Kagome was very nearly kicking and screaming but Kurama didn't care. He…no, _they_ were quite furious at the moment. As they passed the office they stopped only to explain that Kagome needed to go home and rest, that she was not well. He carried her all the way to the shrine and was carrying her up the stairs.

"Minamino-san! Minamino-san! _Suiichi!_" That got his attention. She had never called him by his first name before.

He stopped in his tracks and gazed down at her, "Yes?" He spoke coolly.

"What do you think you are doing?" She hissed, anger and confusion playing across her features.

"I do believe I am escorting you home Higurashi-san." He said curtly before resuming his walk up the stairs.

"Escorting my _ass!_ And stop with the 'Higurashi-san,' call me Kagome." She demanded.

"Whatever you say _Kagome._" They liked the way her name felt as they said it, rolling off their tongue so easily.

"Fine, if it's whatever I say, then I say put me down!" He nodded at what she said and knocked on her door.

"Hey! What happened to _'whatever you say Kagome?'_" He ignored her.

Miss Higurashi answered the door and he explained, with quite a few interruptions from Kagome, that she needed to be back in bed with such an injury. She seemed surprised that Kagome had an injury and gave her daughter a stern look before showing Kurama the way to her bedroom.

"Thank you very much Minamino-san. I hope it is not asking too much, but I was wondering if you would mind staying with Kagome while I go out to buy some fresh bandages, we have run out as of late."

"I do not mind at all, take all the time you need."

Miss Higurashi sighed her thanks before turning to her daughter, "The next time you lie about being injured there will be severe consequences, do you understand dear?"

Kagome only nodded and apologized, looking down at her blanket and plucking an imaginary string from it. Her mother, satisfied for the moment, left the room and set out for the store. Kurama and Kagome sat in silence for a few minutes before someone finally spoke.

"How do you obtain such an injury Kagome?"

Kagome had a worried look as she stuttered for an answer, not quite finding a way to explain how she had injured her thigh while being bed-ridden for a whole week.

"The truth, Kagome." Kurama coaxed, not paying attention to the fact that his green eyes were slowly changing to gold.

She blushed and opened her mouth to speak but suddenly froze, eyes widening and head twisting in the direction of her bedroom window. Kagome jumped up and scrambled out of the door and down the stairs, nearly falling as she rushed outside and toward an old well house. Kurama followed curiously, wondering just what that strange new feel in the air was. It was almost like an electric charge and, as soon as it was there, it was gone. But it left behind something new. The scent of an inu-hanyou.

He picked up his pace and scooped Kagome up bridal-style, stepping toward the Goshinboku and ignoring Kagome's struggles as he watched the well-house intently. Narrowed gold eyes met amber as the inu-hanyou burst out of the small shed.

"Oi! Put down Kagome dammit! Who the hell do you think you are?" The hanyou demanded, leaving Kurama stunned. Kagome knew this demon? And they were on first name terms?

In his shock his grip lessened and Kagome dropped out of his arms and stood between the two demons. She had a concerned look on her face as she glanced back and forth between the both of them.

"InuYasha…please don't get too worked up. This is Suiichi Minamino, a boy from my new school. He carried me home because he was concerned about my injury." She flinched away from the intense stare that came from InuYasha.

"You were injured and you just _left! _Why the hell didn't you tell anyone? Kaede-baba would've fixed you up! Baka onna!"

Kurama growled under his breath as the hanyou yelled at Kagome. It was not his place to scold her, or was it? What exactly was this youkai's relationship with Kagome?

'_She knows about youkai? She knew this whole time and we were worried about her not liking us?' _Youko asked in a semi-shocked state.

'**What else is she hiding from us?' **Kurama pondered, but before he could speak up, she spoke.

"I did not want anyone to worry and you would have known that I was injured had you been there during the battle!" She said heatedly, though she was quite sad-sounding as well.

InuYasha looked away guiltily and radiated an ashamed air. Kurama could only wonder what Kagome had been up to and what the hell was going on.

"Kagome…" he said, not being able to think of anything else to say for the life of him.

She looked over at him, a little surprised, as if she had forgotten that he was there. That sort of hurt him.

"Oh Suiichi! This is InuYasha, he's a friend of mine!" She said semi-cheerfully.

He nodded in the hanyou's direction politely while all he received in return was a loud "Feh!"

"Just come on wench, we'll take you to Kaede-baba's and get you fixed up." He said with a 'no-argument' look on his face. Kagome's face flushed with anger and her eyes darkened.

"Osuwari!" She smirked when he hit the ground with a satisfying 'THUD,' "Don't think you can tell me what to do and just _what _have I told you about calling me wench!" She screeched.

"Kagome, I do believe that we need to have a talk." Kurama said slowly and deliberately. She gave a nod, her eyes not leaving the hanyou that was currently imprinted into the ground.

"Go home InuYasha, I will come back soon, I promise." Her eyes softened, "I always come back, don't I?"

"Feh. If you don't come back I'm comin' to get ya…" Just as he leapt into the well-house he shouted, "Wench!"

Kagome scowled at the well-house for a moment before nervously turning toward Kurama. Her hands were tangled in front of her and she was chewing on her lower lip. They couldn't tear their eyes away from her lip.

"Sooo…if I'm going to be explaining some things, you're going to have some explaining to do as well. Why have you not made mention that you were a youkai?" She said, getting straight to the point.

Kurama openly gaped at her, not believing what she just said.

"I've known the entire time Suiichi. I'll have to admit that at first I was a little surprised but I found you to be pleasant company. But there is one thing that I do not understand…why do you have two auras? It's almost as if there's one inside of the other?"

Still he gaped at her.

"Uhmm…Suiichi?"

A minute passed by. Then another. Finally Kagome sat down underneath Goshinboku and started to rub her leg a little. His brain then started to function, he had not remembered that she was hurt and he had let her stand around like an idiot.

"Are you quite all right Kagome?" He questioned as he approached her to sit beside her.

"Yes, I'm fine, just a little sore. Are you going to answer any of my questions?" Kagome replied with a small smile.

"I don't know. Will you answer mine?"

"To the best of my abilities, ask away!" She said with a chuckle.

Kurama took a deep breath and wondered where to start. Youko suggested the beginning and Kurama found that to be a wonderful idea.

"Could you tell me it all? How you know the hanyou and how you knew I was a youkai? What haven't you told me about you?"

She gave him a strange look before giving another sigh and opening up. Her tales were wondrous, traveling through time and gathering up the shards of the sacred and legendary Shikon no Tama. Losing her soul and battle various youkai, nearly losing her life countless times and making friends in the most unlikely people. Though Kurama found himself truly angry at the way the inu-hanyou treated Kagome, degrading her and comparing her to her incarnation. Even leaving her in harm's way for a dead woman. Despicable. He could tell that it hurt her deeply as well.

When she was done she had slight tears in her eyes, "Will you tell me your story Suiichi?" She asked as she laid her head on his shoulder.

He told it all to her, his life as the King of Thieves, the loss of his best friend and the loss of his own life. Finding refugee in a human body and how he came to care for his human mother. Nearly sacrificing himself for Shiori Minamino and working for Lord Koenma by destroying rogue youkai. She seemed quite enamored by his tale.

"Suiichi…"

Kurama cut her off, "Now that you know who I really am, please, call me Kurama."

"Alright, _Kurama_, why is it that you seemed so hesitant to tell me your story? Did you feel that you could not trust me?" He could feel her uncertainty and it grabbed at his heart.

"I feared that I would scare you away and I did not wish to lose you, I was selfish and wanted to keep you near."

"But that is a silly reason." He looked at her quizzically and she elaborated, "If I were to have been scared off if you had told me sooner than I most definitely would not have been worthy of your friendship. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out!"

"I suppose it doesn't." He muttered, enjoying the feel of her head on his shoulder. "But Kagome, why did you not tell me of your adventures?"

She stiffened for a moment before answering, "I did not want a repeat of what happened at my last school."

"What happened?"

Her voice was tight as she spoke, "I had been friends with a boy in my class for quite some time, he fancied me and I continued to turn him down regardless of how often he asked. Eventually we became close friends and I decided to share my secret with him. I was…" She paused for a moment, "I…he was always concerned about my health you see and, when I told him he…three months! I was kept in the hospital for three months! People were constantly asking me questions and running tests on me, seeing if I was crazy. I knew you were a youkai but that story is so unbelievable and…I really didn't want to go back…"

She sniffled and Kurama sat silently. As she cried quietly he talked with Youko, once again at a loss.

'**He sent her to a mental institution! Because she was honest with him she was stuck in a hospital for three months!'**

'_If he was such a good **friend**, then why did he do that to her?' _Both wanted nothing more than to tear that boy limb from limb.

'**She has suffered so much…'**

'_We need to comfort her. Hold her Red, tell her that it's okay. We're here for her.'_

Kurama did exactly that, pulling Kagome into his lap and gently rocking back and forth with her in his arms. He whispered softly to her and gently stroked her hair from time to time. She seemed so heart-broken and alone and he wanted nothing more than to be the one to fix everything for her.

"K-kurama?" Kagome questioned softly, turning around in his lap.

"Yes Kagome?"

"Thank you for holding me while I cried; only Mama's done that for me. Only Mama and Shippo." She yawned and buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around him and letting out a contented sigh.

Her mother came up the shrine stairs a few minutes later, smiling softly at the pair under the Goshinboku. Kagome was sleeping while Kurama was gently smiling down at her and stroking her hair. She quietly walked up to them and said,

"I do believe that you are the best thing that has happened to my daughter Minamino-san, I expect you to take good care of her." Her expression was stern and at the same time soft. Kurama only nodded, never taking his eyes off of the sleeping angel in his lap.

They sat like that, Kurama falling asleep as well, well past dusk. Kagome was the first to stir, blinking lazily and wondering just what she was holding that was warm and smelled like roses. When she realized that it was a sleeping Kurama she blushed prettily and sat up a little. She gazed upon his face and reached out to brush some of his beautiful red hair out of his face.

Just as she did, her fingertips rubbed against his forehead, and a hand caught her wrist and she found herself looking into golden orbs. She gasped a little but did not back away nor feel frightened.

"Youko?" She breathed; unnerved by the way he was staring so intently at her.

"All it took was one touch love, one touch from you to awaken a side of me I have never known. And I knew that you would be the one to do it, from the very moment I saw you I knew." Youko said, his eyes never leaving hers.

Kagome did not speak, not that she wanted to. Youko pulled her back down and held her to him tightly, enjoying the feel of her body against his, well, theirs. And they sat together underneath the Goshinboku, gazing at the stars in one another's arms.


End file.
